Why Changing the Immigration System Should Matter to All Nonprofit Groups

All nonprofit groups — not just those that work directly with immigrants — “have a stake in treating, serving, advocating for, and supporting immigrants in this nation,” writes Rick Cohen on his Nonprofit Quarterly blog.

He says all charities should be prepared to fight against ignorance about immigrants and immigration issues. Mr. Cohen says there are a lot of “myths,” for example, about the negative environmental impact of immigration that environmental groups should speak out against.

He also writes that nonprofit groups should fight for fairness in the treatment of immigrants, including advocating against proposals that would block immigrants from gaining access to community health centers and emergency rooms.

Mr. Cohen encourages charities to support an overhaul of the nation’s immigration system, help ensure that the census fairly counts immigrants, and oppose anti-immigrant policies at the state and local levels, among other steps.

He asks readers to consider the contributions of charities created to help communities respond to immigration, such as the Hispanic Housing Development Corporation in Chicago, Asian Americans for Equality in Manhattan, and Coastal Enterprises, which serves rural Maine.

“The nonprofit sector has a chance to rebuild America anew with a commitment to fairness, human rights, and community rebuilding with the New Millennium’s immigrants,” Mr. Cohen concludes.